Notification interaction in a touchscreen user interface

ABSTRACT

Method and system are provided for notification interaction in a touchscreen user interface. The method includes: monitoring a user interaction with a current application via the touchscreen user interface; recognizing that a notification is being prepared to be displayed as a notification display on top of the current application; selecting a distinct user interaction for input to the notification display that is distinct from the monitored user interaction with the current application; and displaying an instruction for the distinct user interaction with the notification display.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to touchscreen user interfaces, and morespecifically, to notification interaction in a touchscreen userinterface.

A mobile computing device such as a smart phone or tablet with atouchscreen user interface may have multiple layers on the graphicaluser interface (GUI) that the user may interact with. It is often notpossible for the user to access different layers of the GUI due to thetop layer taking preference. For example, a top layer may be a pop-upbox with an event notification, or an instant messaging chat window,etc.

In one example, a notification, such as an advert, an update, or amessage notification, may be provided as a layer over an openapplication on a GUI. The user may not be able to access the applicationbehind the area of the notification without removing or closing thenotification.

Additionally, if a user is typing or interacting with an application anda notification appears as a layer on top of the application, the usermay interact with the notification by mistake because that layer haspreference over the application in which the user was typing leading toerrors and frustration by the user. For example, a user is texting, theyreceive a pop up notification about an update and they unintentionallypress the OK button, resulting in an unintentional update.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided acomputer-implemented method for a computer-implemented method fornotification interaction in a touchscreen user interface, comprising:monitoring a user interaction with a current application via thetouchscreen user interface; recognizing that a notification is beingprepared to be displayed as a notification display on top of the currentapplication; selecting a distinct user interaction for input to thenotification display that is distinct from the monitored userinteraction with the current application; and displaying an instructionfor the distinct user interaction with the notification display.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda system for a system for notification interaction in a touchscreen userinterface, comprising: a processor and a memory configured to providecomputer program instructions to the processor to execute the functionof the following components; a user interaction monitoring component formonitoring a user interaction with a current application via thetouchscreen user interface; a notification preparation component forrecognizing that a notification is being prepared to be displayed as anotification display on top of the current application; a userinteraction selection component for selecting a distinct userinteraction for input to the notification display that is distinct fromthe monitored user interaction.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda computer program product for a computer program product fornotification interaction in a touchscreen user interface, the computerprogram product comprising a computer readable storage medium havingprogram instructions embodied therewith, the program instructionsexecutable by a processor to cause the processor to: monitor a userinteraction with a current application via the touchscreen userinterface; recognize that a notification is being prepared to bedisplayed as a notification display on top of the current application;select a distinct user interaction for input to the notification displaythat is distinct from the monitored user interaction with the currentapplication; and display an instruction for the distinct userinteraction with the notification display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification.The invention, both as to organization and method of operation, togetherwith objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understoodby reference to the following detailed description when read with theaccompanying drawings.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile device having layers in atouchscreen user interface;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a method inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of an example embodiment inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a computing devicein which the present invention may be implemented.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale.For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements for clarity. Further, where consideredappropriate, reference numbers may be repeated among the figures toindicate corresponding or analogous features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The described method and system log the current form of interaction witha touchscreen user interface, such as, as examples, typing by tappingthe screen, using a particular gesture repetitively for a game,scrolling through text or photos, or making a movement with the devicehaving the touchscreen user interface. When a notification display isdetected as upcoming, a different, distinct user interaction isactivated for interaction with any controls in the notification displayor with the notification display itself. The different, distinct userinteraction is automatically determined in order to ensure it is notconfusable with the current form of user interaction.

A computing device may have a touchscreen user interface having multiplelayers of a graphical user interface (GUI) for simultaneouslyinteracting with multiple applications and the mobile operating system.A computing device may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet computer,a personal digital assistant, a smart watch, or another form of devicehaving a touchscreen user interface.

A touchscreen user interface is an input and output device provided withan electronic visual display of a computing device. The user can use thetouchscreen to react to what is displayed by making inputs or controlthe computing device through simple or multi-touch gestures by touchingthe screen with a special stylus or one or more fingers.

When interacting with a device, the user may interact with differentlayers of the GUI. GUI layers are used as a means to separate outvarious related interface elements to their own groups, for example, asbelonging to a specific application. The layers may be thought of astransparent superimposed slides providing GUI controls for a particulargroup. The use of layers enables entire groups of controls to be turnedon or off simultaneously thereby controlling which interface elementsthe user may interact with.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exploded schematic diagram 100 shows an exampleembodiment of a mobile computing device 110 with a touchscreen userinterface 120. The touchscreen user interface 120 may include layerssuch as an operating system user interface layer 130 and applicationuser interface layers 140. Each application may user multiple layers ifit requires superimposed displays for the application content.

A notification display 152 may use a top user interface layer that maybe an application user interface layer 140 or a layer used by theoperating system for alerts, or other forms of prioritized content. Thenotification display 152 is usually provided in the form of a smallerwindow in the touchscreen user interface and may be used to displayinformation, such as a pop-up notification, advert, or alert, and mayinclude one or more control elements 154 for interacting with thenotification display 152.

Notification displays 152 may display information provided by a varietyof user interface implementations. Notification displays 152 may becontrolled by the operating system or middleware in an applicationoperating on the operating system. Notification displays 152 may be inthe form push notifications. The actors sending a push notification mayinclude a operating system push notification service (OSPNS), anapplication publisher that enables an application with an OSPNS, or aclient application in the form of an operating specific applicationinstalled on a device for receiving incoming notifications.

Notification displays 152, whatever form they take, generally have thecommon property that they require interaction to action them, removethem, or the elapse of a predefined time period before they are nolonger displayed on top of a current application and the user can revertto their activity on a current application.

Notification displays 152 may be prioritized content from the operatingsystem or applications other than the application currently being usedand displayed on the user interface. Notification displays 152 may bealerts from the operating system or from applications that have settingsin the operating system enabling alerts to be displayed. In anotherscenario, notification displays 152 may be modal windows of theapplication currently being used and displayed on the user interface tonotify the user of information that is relevant to the currentapplication.

Using the described method and system, when a notification display 152is activated, a background process determines a user interaction for thenotification display that is distinct from the current user interactionwith the current application 140.

Referring to FIG. 2, a flow diagram 200 illustrates an exampleembodiment of an aspect of the described method as carried out by anoperating system functionality of a mobile computing device.

A current application may be running in a current layer being interactedwith by a user of the mobile computing device and the method may monitor201 and log the user interaction with the current application. The userinteraction may include one or more gestures, movement of the device,and other forms of receiving user input into the device.

An event may occur in an application or the operating system and theapplication or operating system may prepare to provide a notificationdisplay providing information on top of the current user interface layerof the current application. The method may recognize 202 that anotification display is about to be displayed. The implementation ofthis recognition may depend on the type of notification, for example, anotification from an operating system push notification service (OSPNS),or an in-application notification.

The application may be a background application running simultaneouslywith the current application or may be the current application itself.For example, a background application may be an instant messagingapplication and an event may be the receipt of an incoming message. Inanother example, the current application may generate events that createmodal windows. In a further example, the operating system may generatealerts or notifications relating to its functionality or that of otherapplications.

The method may determine 203 the type of notification display that is tobe displayed in order to determine the properties of the notificationand the nature of required inputs.

The method may select 204 a distinct user interaction for thenotification. The selection may be made automatically to ensure that theuser interaction for the notification is distinct from the userinteraction that has been monitored and logged for the currentapplication. The selection 204 may be based on rules, for example, if acurrent user interaction uses a combination of gestures, the distinctuser interaction may be selected to be different to all the currentgestures.

In one embodiment, the distinct user interaction may be an opposite formof interaction compared to the current user interaction. Examples, ofopposite forms of interaction may be tapping as opposed to swiping,swiping as opposed to drawing a star shape, or tapping as opposed todrawing a circle. More than one user interaction may be selected if thenotification requires different inputs.

The selection may also take into account the type of notification thatis to be displayed to ensure that the gesture is suitable for use withthe notification. The distinct user interaction or interactions may beused for dismissing or ignoring the notification display and/orinteracting with it.

The notification may also disable any input to it using the previoustype of user interaction to ensure that a user input intended for thecurrent application is not input in error.

The method may amend 205 the notification display to receive user inputsin the form of the selected distinct user interaction(s).

The display notification may be displayed 206 with an interactioninstruction. For example, this may give a graphical illustration of oneor more gestures to be used in the user interaction for thenotification. The interaction instruction may be removed 207 after apredetermined time in order to enable the user to start interacting withthe notification. Alternatively, a sample or test user interaction maybe received as input by the user triggering the removal of theinteraction instruction.

It may be determined 208 if the new user interaction is received. If so,the user may interact 209 with the notification. If not it may bedetermined if the previous user interaction is received 210. If so, thenotification may be dismissed or ignored 211 and the user may continueto interact with the previous application. Whether the notification isdismissed or ignored may depend on the settings set by the application.The notification may be set to be ignored if the notifications are notimportant; however, they may be set to be ignored if the user may wantto revert to the notification at a later time and this prevents usersaccidentally closing the notification without reading it. If neitheruser interaction is received, the method may await 212 the nextinteraction with the device.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, schematic diagrams are used to illustratean example implementation of the described method and system. A currentapplication layer may be a messaging application layer 310 in which amessage contact name 311 may be displayed along with the last fewentries in a message conversation 312, 313. A keyboard input control 315may be provided for input of characters of a message by tapping and acurrent message input 314 may display the current message as it isinput.

FIG. 3B shows that a notification display is displayed in the form of anupdate display 320. As the current user interaction has been monitoredas tapping, a distinct user interaction is selected to draw a circle.The notification is amended to only respond to the selected distinctuser interaction. This ensures that if the user did not see thenotification display and accidentally taps on the notification display,the user will not trigger the update.

A gesture input instruction 330 may be displayed for a set time with theupdate display 330 giving the user time to learn which gesture to use tointeract with the update display 320. The gesture input instruction 330may then disappear enabling the user to interact with the updatedisplay. In this example, as the current user interaction is tapping thedisplay to use the keyboard, the distinct user interaction is selectedto be a circle gesture 331. The gesture input instruction 330 shows thefull circle to be input 331 and the direction shown by an arrow 332.

Examples of user interaction may be: tapping such as texting input of arepetitive movement when playing a game; swiping such as when using adrawing application, scrolling though text, photos or social media, orplaying a game; rotation of a device by turning the screen away from theuser; vibration by shaking the device; simultaneous gestures such asswipe and tap; spinning the phone around such that a centrifugal forceis recognized.

Referring to FIG. 4, an interaction determining component 420 isdescribed that may be provided as a functional modification to anoperating system 410 of a computing device 400 with a touchscreen userinterface. The functional modification may be incorporated into anoperating system push notification service (OSPNS).

The computing device 400 may include at least one processor 401, ahardware module, or a circuit for executing the functions of thedescribed components which may be software units executing on the atleast one processor. Memory 402 may be configured to provide computerinstructions 403 to the at least one processor 401 to carry out thefunctionality of the components.

The interaction determining component 420 may include user interactionmonitoring component 421 for monitoring a user interaction with acurrent application via the touchscreen user interface. The userinteraction monitoring component 421 may log the user interactions in alog 422 that may store user interactions for a set period of time priorto the current time.

The interaction determining component 420 may include a notificationpreparation component 423 for recognizing that an event providing anotification display has occurred. An event may be an event from thecurrent application, another application, or the operating system.

The interaction determining component 420 may include a user interactionselection component 424 for selecting a user interaction for thenotification display that is distinct from the current user interactionthat has been logged.

The interaction determining component 420 may include a notificationtype component 429 for determining the type of notification display tobe displayed and using the properties of the type of notification by theuser interaction selection component 424 when selecting a distinct userinteraction.

The interaction determining component 420 may include a notificationamendment component 425 for amending the notification to record that itrecognizes inputs in the form of the selected distinct user interaction.The notification amendment component may also ignore previous userinteractions to prevent unintentional input.

The interaction determining component 420 may include an interactioninstruction component 426 for adding an interaction instruction to thenotification display. The interaction instruction component 426 mayinclude an interaction instruction removal component 427 for removingthe interaction instruction after a predetermined period of time or whena sample interaction is received.

The interaction determining component 420 may include an interactionreceiving component 428 for recognizing an incoming interaction asinstructing the notification display or the current application. Theinteraction receiving component 428 may also determine that an input isreceived in the form of the monitored user interaction, dismissing orignoring the notification display, and enabling continued interactionwith the current application.

The described method and system prevent accidental interactions withnotifications while the user is using the device and ensures that theuser intentionally interacts with the notification before acting uponit.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a schematic of an example of a system 500 whichmay be a form of a computing system 512 with a touchscreen userinterface on which the described system may be implemented.

The computer system 512 may be operational with numerous other generalpurpose or special purpose computing system environments orconfigurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments,and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with computer system512 include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, servercomputer systems, thin clients, thick clients, hand-held or laptopdevices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set topboxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputersystems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computingenvironments that include any of the above systems or devices, and thelike.

Computer system 512 may be described in the general context of computersystem-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executedby a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines,programs, applications, objects, components, logic, data structures, andso on that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstractdata types. The computer system 512 may be used in distributed cloudcomputing environments where tasks are performed by remote processingdevices that are linked through a communications network. In adistributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be locatedin both local and remote computer system storage media including memorystorage devices.

In FIG. 5, a computer system 512 is shown in the form of ageneral-purpose computing device. The components of the computer system512 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors orprocessing units 516, a system memory 528, and a bus 518 that couplesvarious system components including system memory 528 to processor 516.

Bus 518 represents one or more of any of several types of busstructures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheralbus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus usingany of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and notlimitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture(ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA)bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, andPeripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus.

The computer system 512 typically includes a variety of computer systemreadable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessibleby computer system 512, and it includes both volatile and non-volatilemedia.

System memory 528 can include computer system readable media in the formof volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 530 and/or cachememory 532. By way of example only, storage system 534 may be providedfor reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magneticmedia (not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). As will befurther depicted and described below, memory 528 may include at leastone program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modulesthat are configured to carry out the functions of embodiments of theinvention.

Program/utility 540, having a set (at least one) of program modules 542,may be stored in memory 528 by way of example, and not limitation, aswell as an operating system, one or more application programs, otherprogram modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one ormore application programs, other program modules, and program data orsome combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networkingenvironment. Program modules 542 generally carry out the functionsand/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as describedherein.

The computer system 512 may include Input/Output (I/O) interfaces 522that enable a user to interact with the computer system 512 via atouchscreen display 524. The computer system 512 may also communicatewith any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computersystem 512 to communicate with one or more other computing devices.Still yet, computer system 512 can communicate with one or more networkssuch as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN),and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter 520. Asdepicted, network adapter 520 communicates with the other components ofcomputer system 512 via bus 518.

It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/orsoftware components could be used in conjunction with the computersystem 512. Examples, include, but are not limited to: a camera,microphone, speakers, etc.

The computing device 512 may be a communication device, such as a mobilesmart phone, and the processing unit 516 may be a microprocessor forprocessing the functions of the communication device and the touchscreendisplay 524 may allow a user to see the phone numbers and otherinformation and messages. The touchscreen display 524 may allow a userto input information into the device, a speaker 525 may allow the userto hear voice communication, music, etc., and a microphone 526 may allowthe user to transmit his or her voice through the communication device.

The communication device may also include a communication element 550for connection to communication channels including a cellular telephonenetwork, data transmission, etc. The communication element 550 mayinclude an associated wireless transfer element, such as an antenna.

The communication element 550 may include a subscriber identity module(SIM) in the form of an integrated circuit that stores an internationalmobile subscriber identity and the related key used to identify andauthenticate a subscriber using the communication device. One or moresubscriber identity modules may be removable from the communicationdevice or embedded in the communication device.

The communication device may further include a contactless element 560,which is typically implemented in the form of a semiconductor chip (orother data storage element) with an associated wireless transferelement, such as an antenna. The contactless element 560 may beassociated with (e.g., embedded within) the communication device anddata or control instructions transmitted via a cellular network may beapplied to the contactless element 560 by means of a contactless elementinterface (not shown). The contactless element interface may function topermit the exchange of data and/or control instructions between mobiledevice circuitry (and hence the cellular network) and the contactlesselement 560.

The contactless element 560 may be capable of transferring and receivingdata using a near field communications (NFC) capability (or near fieldcommunications medium) typically in accordance with a standardizedprotocol or data transfer mechanism (e.g., ISO 14443/NFC). Near fieldcommunications capability is a short-range communications capability,such as radio-frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth, infra-red, orother data transfer capability that can be used to exchange data betweenthe communication device Y00 and an interrogation device. Thus, thecommunication device may be capable of communicating and transferringdata and/or control instructions via both a cellular network and nearfield communications capability.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product at any possible technical detail level of integration.The computer program product may include a computer readable storagemedium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereonfor causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, oreither source code or object code written in any combination of one ormore programming languages, including an object oriented programminglanguage such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programminglanguages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programminglanguages. The computer readable program instructions may executeentirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as astand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partlyon a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. Inthe latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user'scomputer through any type of network, including a local area network(LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to anexternal computer (for example, through the Internet using an InternetService Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including,for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gatearrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute thecomputer readable program instructions by utilizing state information ofthe computer readable program instructions to personalize the electroniccircuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of theorder noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

Improvements and modifications can be made to the foregoing withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method for notificationinteraction in a touchscreen user interface, comprising: monitoring, bya computing device, a user interaction with a current application viathe touchscreen user interface; preparing, by a computing device, anotification display for an event occurring on the computing device tobe displayed on top of the current application; recognizing, by thecomputing device, that a notification display for an event is about tobe displayed on top of the current application in use by the user,wherein the notification is recognized by at least one of the groupconsisting of: the current application, a secondary application, or theoperating system resident on the computing device; determining, by thecomputing device, one or more distinct user interactions for input tothe notification display based on a set of rules, wherein the set ofrules determines one or more distinct user interactions that aredifferent from the monitored user interaction with the currentapplication; selecting, by the computing device, a distinct userinteraction for input by the user to the notification display that isdistinct from the monitored user interaction with the currentapplication; and displaying, by the computing device, the notificationdisplay with an instruction for input of the distinct user interactionwith the notification display.
 2. The method as in claim 1, wherein thenotification display is prepared by at least one of an operating systemresident on the computing device or a middleware in an applicationoperating on the computing device.
 3. The method as in claim 1, whereinthe user interaction and the one or more distinct user interactionsinclude one or more of the group consisting of: tapping, swiping,scrolling, computer device rotation, vibration, and spinning.
 4. Themethod as in claim 1, wherein the notification display includes one ormore of the group consisting of: an operating system alert, a currentapplication alert, a secondary application alert, and a modal window inthe current application.
 5. A system for notification interaction in atouchscreen user interface, the computer system comprising: one or morecomputer processors, one or more computer readable storage media, andprogram instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storagemedia for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, theprogram instructions comprising: program instructions to monitor a userinteraction with a current application via the touchscreen userinterface; program instructions to prepare, by a computer processor, anotification display for an event occurring on the computing device tobe displayed on top of the current application; program instructions torecognize that a notification display for an event is about to bedisplayed as a notification display on top of the current application inuse by the user, wherein the notification is recognized by at least oneof the group consisting of: the current application, a secondaryapplication, or the operating system resident on the computer processor;program instructions to determine one or more distinct user interactionsfor input to the notification display based on a set of rules, whereinthe set of rules determines one or more distinct user interactions thatare different from the monitored user interaction with the currentapplication; program instructions to select a distinct user interactionfor input by the user to the notification display that is distinct fromthe monitored user interaction with the current application; and programinstructions to display the notification display with an instruction forinput of the distinct user interaction with the notification display. 6.The system as in claim 5, wherein the notification display is preparedby at least one of an operating system resident on the computing deviceor a middleware in an application operating on the computing device. 7.The system as in claim 5, wherein the user interaction and the one ormore distinct user interactions include one or more of the groupconsisting of: tapping, swiping, scrolling, computer device rotation,vibration, and spinning.
 8. The system as in claim 5, wherein thenotification display includes one or more of the group consisting of: anoperating system alert, a current application alert, a secondaryapplication alert, and a modal window in the current application.
 9. Acomputer program product for notification interaction in a touchscreenuser interface, the computer program product comprising: a computerreadable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith,the program instructions comprising: program instructions to monitor, bya computing device, a user interaction with a current application viathe touchscreen user interface; program instructions to prepare, by acomputing device, a notification display for an event occurring on thecomputing device to be displayed on top of the current application, thenotification display being prepared by at least one of an operatingsystem resident on the computing device or a middleware in anapplication operating on the computing device; program instructions torecognize, by the computing device, that a notification display for anevent is about to be displayed on top of the current application in useby the user, wherein the notification is recognized by at least one ofthe group consisting of: the current application, a secondaryapplication, or the operating system resident on the computing device;program instructions to determine, by the computing device, one or moredistinct user interactions for input to the notification display basedon a set of rules, wherein the set of rules determines one or moredistinct user interactions that are different from the monitored userinteraction with the current application; program instructions toselect, by the computing device, a distinct user interaction for inputby the user to the notification display that is distinct from themonitored user interaction with the current application; and programinstructions to display, by the computing device, the notificationdisplay with an instruction for input of the distinct user interactionwith the notification display.
 10. The computer program product as inclaim 9, further comprising: program instructions to log, by thecomputing device, multiple user interactions with the currentapplication for a predefined time prior to a current time and selectinga distinct user interaction that is distinct from the logged userinteractions.
 11. The computer program product as in claim 9, furthercomprising: program instructions to determine, by the computing device,a type of the notification display and selecting the distinct userinteraction to suit the type of the notification display based onproperties of the notification display.
 12. The computer program productas in claim 9, wherein a distinct user interaction is an opposite ordifferent user input, and wherein user inputs include touchscreengestures and/or device movements.
 13. The computer program product as inclaim 9, further comprising: program instructions to amend, by thecomputing device, the notification display to recognize inputs using thedistinct user interaction.
 14. The computer program product as in claim9, further comprising: program instructions to amend, by the computingdevice, the notification display to ignore previous user interactions toprevent unintentional input.
 15. The computer program product as inclaim 9, further comprising: removing, by the computing device, thedisplay of the instruction for the distinct user interaction after apredefined period of time.
 16. The computer program product as in claim9, further comprising: program instructions to remove, by the computingdevice, the display of the instruction for the distinct user interactionafter receiving a sample input using the distinct user interaction. 17.The computer program product as in claim 9, further comprising: programinstructions to determine, by the computing device, that an input isreceived in the form of the distinct user interaction and enablinginteraction with the notification display.
 18. The computer programproduct as in claim 9, further comprising: program instructions todetermine, by the computing device, that an input is received in theform of the monitored user interaction, dismissing or ignoring thenotification display, and enabling continued interaction with thecurrent application.
 19. The computer program product as in claim 9,wherein the user interaction and the one or more distinct userinteractions include one or more of the group consisting of: tapping,swiping, scrolling, computer device rotation, vibration, and spinning.20. The computer program product as in claim 9, wherein the notificationdisplay includes one or more of the group consisting of: an operatingsystem alert, a current application alert, a secondary applicationalert, and a modal window in the current application.